Perlite? Haydite? Turface?

tombob(z6IL)February 10, 2006

As a complete newbie to bonsai, I am trying to find a soil mixture that I can begin with. At various times in my readings, I have found the above amendments suggested. I am wondering if these soil components are interchangeable? Do they all do the same thing?

Perlite is readily available in my small community whereas the other conditioners are not.

All three products are inorganic material that promotes drainage, aeration and water retention. Perlite is expanded volcanic rock, think mineral popcorn. Turface is fired clay while Haydite is fired shale, either can be used in bonsai culture, use whichever you can find at the best price. They are the domestic equivalent of expensive imported bonsai soils.
I purchased my first bag of Turface through the mail and paid a premium for shipping what is essentially rock. This last summer I found a local source for Haydite and bought some in bulk at a substantial savings. Check landscape companies that sell mulch and gravel in bulk. You can also try groundskeepers at ball-fields and golf courses. If you decide to purchase Turface be sure to specify the MVP grade, the size is more appropriate for bonsai. Sifting will also be required to remove the fines of any of these products.

Check the archives on this forum for discussions about various soil mixes.

I cannot find Turface here locally but did find Schultz's Soil Conditioner which is from the same manufacturer Profile and looks like Turface and behaves in water like Turface. The Schultz product I found comes in 5 lb packages for $4.95.
Bob

Schultz S. Cond. IS turface... just pkg'd differently for them under another name. And to answer your first question, you would use any or all of the things in diff. proportions in diff. mixes, depending on what trees you're growing.

Hi there. I live near Toronto, Canada.
Can anyone please tell me where I can buy this Haydite.
I will need a bunch for my tree collection and can
not find it in my area at all. How much should I expect
to pay for it please?

Chrishendry
did you ever find Haydite or Turface in the Toronto area
Am hoping to get my hands on some
Have spent my winter, as usual in Florida and was at a garden club meeting where they used straight Turface or a product by a different trade name to grow Brugmansia in. In containers Fabulous product

The components of any mixture will vary from region to region and from garden to garden. The exact composition will be dependent upon:
- The types of materials which are available in the area;
- The local growing conditions and,
- The type of plant material.

The term "soil" is really somewhat of a misnomer. The components normally used to create a good potting mixture are, in fact, soilless. They are designed to provide an ideal environment for root growth. In creating this "perfect" environment we also create a few problems for ourselves. First, it should be obvious to even a rank beginner that the rocky concoction described below will dry out a heck of a lock quicker than the sticky black potting soil which most people have been using for years. Secondly, most of the components in the soil mix really are one kind of "rock" or another, which means there is virtually no nutrients in a properly prepared bonsai potting mix. Both of these aspects are unfortunate, but necessary if our soil mixture is to have the success we hope for.

I've never used Hadite.
I sometime use screened Course Pearlite in mixes in large (Heavy)plantings and cover the ugly pearlite on the surface with volcanic or anything dark.
I use "turface" in most of my mixes. I don't know where you are located but down South you sometime find turface sold by athletic supplys as 'Mule Mix'. Pretty cheap and not too many fines when screening.
Good Luck
R

I have never grown Bonsai, well many years ago I did give it a bit of effort.
Just came across this forum as it came up when looking for growing mediums. have been a garden web member for ages.
I know that Turface and this is just onne brand name, is a mixture used on sporting fields primarly I did see it used for growing plants in large pots was really something . Interesting to try. in my own gardening efforts.
Lovely it is to be in Florida all winter and able to work in your garden most days.

I have a business local to me that cuts granite for counter tops/etc. They have a huge pile of the leftovers and it's free for the taking. Would that be an acceptable component of a soil preparation as long as I just broke it down into useable bits?